Architectural Pioneer and Modernist
George Fred Keck was an American modernist architect based in Chicago, Illinois. Born in Watertown, United States, he studied engineering at the University of Wisconsin and later studied architecture engineering at the University of Illinois. After working as a draftsman for several Chicago firms, including D. H. Burnham & Company and Schmidt, Garden and Martin, he established his own practice in 1926. He was later assisted by his brother William Keck in the firm of Keck & Keck.
Keck was a pioneer in the development of modern architecture, specifically the International Style. His work included the design of two key model structures for the 1933 Century of Progress exhibition, which were known as the "House of Tomorrow." One of these structures was described by the media as "America’s first glass house." In 1934, he designed the "Crystal House," a model house reminiscent of the work of Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Solar Design and Academic Contributions
Following his work on the "House of Tomorrow," Keck became a pioneering designer of passive solar houses during the 1930s and 40s. After observing that the all-glass structures remained warm on sunny winter days, he began incorporating more south-facing windows into his designs. In 1940, he designed a passive solar home for Howard Sloan in Glenview, Illinois, which the Chicago Tribune referred to as a "solar house."
Beyond his private practice, Keck was involved in architectural education. He served as the head of architecture at the New Bauhaus School until 1942, where he was succeeded by Ralph Rapson. His professional legacy is tied to the movement of modern architecture and the advancement of solar-oriented residential design.
